Diabetes is a group of diseases marked by high levels of blood glucose resulting from defects in insulin production, insulin action, or both. Diabetes can lead to serious health complications and premature death, but there are well-known products available for people with diabetes to help control the disease and lower the risk of complications.
Treatment options for people with diabetes include specialized diets, oral medications and/or insulin therapy. The primary goal for diabetes treatment is to control the patient's blood glucose (sugar) level in order to increase the chances of a complication-free life. It is not always easy, however, to achieve good diabetes management, while balancing other life demands and circumstances.
Currently, there are two principal modes of daily insulin therapy for the treatment of type 1 diabetes. The first mode includes syringes and insulin pens that require a needle stick at each injection, typically three to four times per day. These devices are simple to use and relatively low in cost. Another widely adopted and effective method of treatment for managing diabetes is the use of an insulin pump. Insulin pumps can help users keep their blood glucose levels within target ranges based on their individual needs, by providing continuous infusion of insulin at varying rates to more closely mimic the behavior of the pancreas. By using an insulin pump, users can match their insulin therapy to their lifestyles, rather than matching their lifestyles to how an insulin injection is working for them.
However, conventional insulin pumps suffer from several drawbacks. For example, lead screw and piston type metering systems typically used in insulin pumps are often cumbersome to users, requiring a large height and a large a footprint.
Conventional insulin pumps also typically require a large number of components and moving parts, thereby increasing risks of mechanical failure.
Conventional insulin pumps also typically have too long a tolerance loop for dose accuracy, depending on too many factors, which are sometimes difficult to ascertain. This can result in a loss in dose accuracy.
Conventional insulin pumps also typically have too complex a fluid path. This can result in complicated or inadequate priming and air removal.
Conventional insulin pumps also typically require high precision actuators, thereby increasing the cost of conventional patch pumps.
Some insulin pumps are also at risk of creating direct fluid paths between a reservoir and a cannula of an insulin patch. This can result in an overdose to a user.
Conventional insulin pumps also typically require complex sensing schemes. This can result in increased cost and reduced accuracy and reliability.
Conventional insulin pumps also typically have valves that are prone to leaking at elevated system back pressures. This can result in reduced accuracy and reliability.
Conventional insulin pumps also typically require large working volumes and large system volumes exposed to potentially high back pressure. This can result in reduced accuracy and reliability.
Conventional insulin patches also typically have low efficiency motors requiring large batteries, thereby increasing the size of the insulin patch.
Accordingly, there is a need for a metering system with reduced height and footprint, compared to conventional lead screw and piston type metering systems, to increase comfort to users.
There is also a need for a metering system with a reduced number of components and moving parts, compared to conventional insulin pumps, to increase the mechanical safety of insulin patches.
There is also a need for a metering system with a short tolerance loop for dose accuracy, which depends on few factors, compared to conventional metering pumps, thereby increasing dose accuracy.
There is also a need for a metering system with a simple fluid path, compared to conventional metering systems, thereby simplifying priming and air removal.
There is also a need for a metering system utilizing a low precision actuator, compared to conventional metering systems, thereby reducing the cost of insulin patches.
There is also a need for a metering system with no direct fluid path between the reservoir and the cannula, compared to conventional metering systems, thereby better safeguarding a user against overdose.
There is also a need for a metering system with simple sensing schemes, compared to conventional metering systems, thereby reducing cost and increasing accuracy and reliability of insulin patches.
There is also a need for a metering system with valves that are robust with respect to leaking at elevated system back pressures, compared to conventional metering systems, thereby increasing accuracy and reliability of insulin patches.
There is also a need for a metering system with a small working volume and a low system volume exposed to potentially high back pressure, compared to conventional metering systems, thereby increasing accuracy and reliability of insulin patches.
There is also a need for a metering system requiring a high efficiency motor with small batteries, compared to conventional metering systems, thereby reducing the size of insulin patches.